Leaf spring



July 25, 1961 G. w. DAFLER 2,993,690

LEAF SPRING Filed Jan. 8, 1959 INVENT OR GEO/ye Wfiafler E Arromv UnitedStates Patent 2,993,690 LEAF SPRING George W. Dafler, 1112 Vine St., NewCastle, Ind.

Filed Jan. 8, 1959, Ser. No. 785,746 1 Claim. (Cl. 267-47) Thisinvention relates to the support of matter and to the absorbing orcushioning of shock between the matter supported and that to which thesupport may be subjected, and to the prevention as much as possible ofthe transmission of such shock so that there will be minimum disturbanceto the matter supported.

The invention relates particularly to leaf spring structure of thecharacter used in vehicles including automobiles and the like, and whichleaf spring structure is employed for supporting the load carrying partof the vehicle upon or from the running gear thereof so that when roughterrain is encountered the load will be subjected to minimumdisturbance.

Leaf springs have provided cushioning action to a degree foundinadequate, having contributed to side sway when traveling in a straightline and to instability on turns as well as causing undesirable reboundsfrom shock. The supporting action of leaf springs has been improved bythe use of shock absorbers, however, a substantial amount ofinstability, sway, and lack of control of the cushioning action is stillencountered.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the difl'icultiesenumerated and to provide a leaf spring having improved cushioningcharacteristics without appreciable start and stop dipping, side sway,large shock reducing and small shock eliminating characteristics as wellas a leaf spring which will help to maintain a constant level of thesubstance supported as well as a better rounding of the curves orcorners regardless of speed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a leaf spring of improvedcharacteristics by minimum change in the structure of a spring alreadyin use, and which change is relatively inexpensive and the results farexceed the cost or of anything believed possible.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe accompanying drawing taken in conjunction with the followingdescription wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustrating one application of the invention;

FIG. 2, a side elevation of the invention applied; and

FIGS. 3 and 4, sections respectively on the lines 3-3 and 44 of FIG. 2.

Briefly stated, the present invention utilizes a leaf spring of a lengthand strength to provide the proper cushioning support for matter to besuspended such as the body of an automobile or the like. When the partsare in operative position, the ends of the leaf spring will be flexedfrom the uppermost unweighted position down toward a straight-lineposition in accordance with theweight supported. To this conventionalspring structure, the present invention is applied. This includesreinforcing leaves both above and below the conventional spring leavesand with the contiguous upper and lower leaves provided with boltreceiving ends and with bolts in each of the same, with the adjacentbolts at one end connected by links. Thus, the conventional spring issupported and restricted in its supporting action against downward andupward movement of the weight supported as well as against twisting ofthe spring and the separation of the leaves thereof with resultantinstability.

With continued reference to the drawing, the leaf spring of the presentinvention is composed of a series of leaves, the longer leaf 10 having asleeve or eye at each end for the attachment of the spring to that whichit is to support such as the frame 12 of an automobile or 2,993,690Patented July 25, 1961 ice other vehicle or object by means of bolts 13,and links 14 at one end and a bolt 13 to a fixed part of the frame atthe other end.

The leaf 10 is reinforced on its top and bottom by means of additionalleaves held together by bolt and nut 15 and the spring is fixed to anaxle housing 16 by means of a pair of U-bolts and nuts 17 and a plate18. Between the spring and the axle housing is interposed a resilientbumper 18. All of the parts which have been described are ofconventional construction and supporting leaves 19 and 20 also are ofconventional construction.

Above and below the conventionalleaves 10, 19 and 20 are long and shortreinforcing members 21"and' 22 on the upper side, while on the lowerside similar reinforcing members 23 and 24 are added. The members 21 and23 have terminal sleeves or eyes 25 and 26, respectively, with theadjacent eyes 25 and 26 connected by bolts and links '27 and 28 withcotter pins 29 locking the parts in their assembled relation.

The leaves 22 and 24 merely serve to reinforce the leaves 21 and 23, andthe latter with their extremities connected in the manner indicatedlimit the leaves 10, 19 and 20 so that the action of the spring iscontrolled and an improvement over anything heretofore produced is theresult.

The leaves 21 and 23 allow limited upward and downward flexing of theintermediate leaves 10, 19 and 20 and the links 28 maintain the leavesin balance and restrain them in certain respects vertically and alsolimit them against edgewise movement, as well as prevent theirseparation.

Before the application of the auxiliary leaves 21, 22, 23 and 24, thenormal weight to be supported by the leaves 10, 19 and 20 is determined,and thereafter the auxiliary leaves 21, 22, 23, and 24, are added, thelength, width and strength of the auxiliary leaves being correlated withthose of the principal leaves, thus insuring the proper relation betweenthe principal and auxiliary leaves in accordance with the service to beperformed.

With the auxiliary leaves applied to the principal leaves, the sum ofsuch leaves are readily available to support weight to reinforce,supplement, and restrict the action of the principal leaves including tolimit rebound from shock, reduce reaction on stopping and starting, aswell as swing and sway on a straightaway, around curves, and when ashock is encountered.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scopethereof, and therefore the invention is not limited by that which isshown in the drawing and described in the specification but only asindicated in the following claim.

What is claimed is:

A spring assembly providing substantial resistance to rebound comprisingan elongated smooth single curved main spring leaf having an eye at eachend for mounting on a vehicle, a substantially smooth single curvedfirst auxiliary spring leaf appreciably shorter than said main leaf'positioned in superimposed relation on one surface of said main leaf andextending in the same general direction as said main leaf and having aneye formed at each end with the eyes extending away from the main leaf,a plurality of progressively shorter smooth single curved auxiliaryspring leaves positioned in superimposed relation on the other surfaceof said main leaf with one of said plurality of auxiliary spring leavesbeing of substantially the same length as said first smooth singlecurved auxiliary leaf and having an eye formed at each end with sucheyes being directly opposite said eyes on said firstpivot pins betweenthe corresponding adjacent eyes on said first auxiliary leaf and saidone auxiliary leaf with such links being of a length to maintain theleaves in substantially contacting relation throughout their lengthsnected to the spring assembly adjacent the center to 15 providecantilever leaf spring portions engaging the ad aeeaeacw i A 'iacentsurface of said first auxiliary leaf, one of said plurality of auxiliaryspring leaves being in superimposed relation on said one auxiliaryspring leaf and being appreciably shorter than said one auxiliary springleaf and being connected to said spring assembly adjacent the centerthereof to provide cantilever leaf spring portions engaging said oneauxiliary leaf spring.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,381,255 Tisman June 14, 1921 1,922,001 Goltry Aug. 8, 1933 FOREIGNPATENTS 293,742 Great Britain Sept. 27, 1928

